Search sdce.edu

Carlos O. Turner Cortez, Ph.D.

President
San Diego Continuing Education

Contact Carlos

Name *

Email *

Your Message *

What code is in the image? *

In 2015, Carlos O. Turner Cortez, Ph.D. was named President of the largest noncredit adult educational institution in the nation. San Diego Continuing Education (SDCE) has served San Diego since 1914 and has an annual enrollment of more than 45,000 students.

President Turner Cortez is a longtime educational leader with a strong commitment to social justice. As an educator with Teach For America he witnessed the injustice inside classrooms and saw first-hand hardships in urban communities. It was during some of these earliest years in his career that he recognized many vital needs lacking in educational process and where he discovered his true passion in leadership—specifically in leading fellow administrators through inspiration and action. He motivates and encourages educational leaders and community partners to work together on innovative approaches and programs that make the future better for students. His hope is to identify a need in urban communities and to take action that results in positive change.

Prior to his current position, President Turner Cortez served as Director of Education Extension at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and as the Acting Vice President of Instruction and Dean of Academic Pathways at Berkeley City College (BCC).His educational background includes a Bachelor’s degree in History and Sociology from Georgetown University; a Master’s degree in Race and Gender Politics from New York University; and a Doctorate degree in Education Policy and Administration from the University of Southern California.

His leadership now with SDCE has resulted in new programming that reaches opportunity youth in San Diego, a significant increase in hiring new faculty, staff and administrators. He has also co-authored a 2017 award-winning project, The Past, Present and Future of Noncredit Education in California Community Colleges. Substantial research outlined in the report was honored with the Mertes Award, for Excellence in Community College Research by the Association of California Community College Administrators. The findings in the research aim to inform state enhancements in support of noncredit program growth.

Impacting Change

President Turner Cortez serves on a number of boards and meets regularly with influencers and decision-makers in San Diego to impact change in the community.

Board of Directors, National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship, 2018-Present